The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1887-09-09
HAMILTON ON TAe STAND.


The DefenSant In the WyA0dotte Traih
Wreckipg Case Gives ais Testimony.
IN the trial Of George 81. Hamilton ct
Wyandotte upon the charge Of wrecking .
Missouri Pacific train in April, 1856, and
causing be death OF Horton aud Carlisle,
Vossen, one OF the accused, who turned
States evidence at the former trial. again
told the story Of the wreck in detail. His
testimony was the same Is that given on
the former trial. He testified positively to
20 Hamilton's connection with the
wreck and told how the work
was done, and what part each OF the &C
cused took in it. A rigid crOss-examinatiOn
failed to materially shake his evidence.
Newport, another of the accused. who has
turned States evidence since the former
trial. was also put on the stand by the
prosecution and fully corrobOrated the
story told by Vossen. The defense intro
duced witnesses to prove an abb. and
Hamilton himself was put on the stand to
give An account Of himself on that fatal
night
THE DEFENDANT on THE STAND
KANSAS CITY, Mo-, Sept. 3-Judge HIND
mans court at WyandOtte was well filled
yesterday afternoon in the trial Uf George
Hamilton, charged with train wreckipg, it
being understood the defendant himself
would be examined. All during the trial
the court room has been crowded with
Knights of Labor synpathizers. Hereto
fore they have been quite orderly, but yes
terday afternoon they became so worked
up over one Of Major Warmers little
speeches that they burst out in perfect
storm of applause.
Hamilton said: II have resided in Kan
sas City and in Kansas for the past six
years. am carpenter. married and have
a family. l remember the strike and the
wrecking of a train on April ~. 1856. Be-
fore the strike was coach inspector. At
that time was a member Uf the local ex-
ecutive board of the Knights Of Labor. 1
belonged to District Assembly No. 101.
The headquarters of the two local assem-
bles were at 1919 Sixth street. On Sunday
preceding the wreck was in the vicinity
of 1919 all day. / had been there on the
Saturday night before. l left the hall
between $50 and SIX Sunday evening and
returned at about nine O'clock"
did you have wig in your possession
Sundayl"
II did. borrowed 1t from Mr.. Law, a
neighbor at Armourdale. told Law that
l wanted to go to boarding house to have
a little fun. My object was to get it and
call on Mr.. Wright who l expected &c
see there. l wanted to get Wright in the
Missouri Pacific shops so rs to keep me
posted as to what was going on, so could
sent q report to the general committee at
st. Louis. was to fix myself up as an old
man when met him SO that no one would
know that was communicating with him.
] put the wig on at home and called at the
boarding house at about $50 o'clock, but l
didn't find Wright. 1t was a railroad board
ing housc-noBe Of the strikers were stop
ping there. Leaving there l returned to
the hall, where found Lloyd, McNamara,
Vossen, Newport. two switchmen and old
man MUnahan. l went there to stay all
night. The committee made it an object to
have some member at the hall all
the time, so that our men would
know where to find US. / stayed all
night frequently. Thomas Feeney came
i'll while l was there that night and
Jack Leary also dropped in. When /
went to the hall still wore this wig. 1
passed it around to the boys and we had
some sport over it. / believe Lloyd and
Newport went out once. Feeney stayed
little while, went out and returned. VOs-
sen left at about twelve O'Clock. didn't see
him again. The last person l saw leave
was Mcnamara. He went out shortly at
ter Vossen. That lett Lloyd, Monahan,
Newport, Feeney. Jack Leary and myself.
Feeney and had a conversation in regard
to the mal.'
SHOW long did you remainr'
II didn't go out until four o'clock in the
morning. Inever left the hail to go with
anybody down the Missouri Pacific track.
There was nothing said by NE or anybody
else about stopping or in any way interfer-
ing with trains on the Missouri Pacific.
When left the hall went down stairs to
see man who wanted something to eat. l
was awakened by a barber who keeps a
shop next door to the hall. went back up
stairs and remained in the hall until six
o'clock when went down stairs. Shortly
after that heard OF the wreck. / was on
the sidewalk in front of the hail at the
time. l then started down toward the
wreck. On Sixth and James streets met
a man who said it was no use going, that
couldn't get near to it for the guards.
turned around and went home. That night |
I went back to the hall.
"You never had any thing to do with the |
wreckf'
''No, sir; and never had any thing to do |
with any person who was connected with
1t. knew nothing about it,
Upon cross-examination Hamilton toll
what was the duty of a committee the
strikers had to attend to their interests in
Inc railroad yards. That committee had
nothing to co with dismantling engines.
He had no knowledge of persons killing
engines. He had heard Of it. Other mat
.ers brought out upon his cross-examina-
ion were unimportant, referring mainly to
he part he took as a member of the COM
nittee to look after the interest of the
,trlkers.